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MIT Helps Third World With Hands-On Approach
Hugh Pickens writes "About 60 people from 20 nations will descend on the MIT campus July 14th for the second annual International Development Design Summit to begin an intensive month-long process of creating technological solutions for the needs of people in the world's developing nations. The goal of the program is to develop simple, inexpensive devices that in some cases can be produced locally and make a real difference for people and communities. The event is the brainchild of MIT Senior Lecturer Amy Smith, a returned Peace Corps volunteer and a past winner of the MacArthur 'genius' grant. Previous products of Smith's design class include a bike-powered corn sheller, a metal press that can make clean-burning fuel out of agricultural waste, and an electricity-free incubator. The workshop promotes a shift in focus among companies, universities, investors and scientists toward attacking problems that hamper development in the world's poorest places. 'Nearly 90 percent of research and development dollars are spent on creating technologies that serve the wealthiest 10 percent of the world's population,' Ms. Smith said. 'The point of the design revolution is to switch that.'"
Every time I open the newspaper, turn on the news, or turn on the radio, I hear about some Third World country with not enough food or water or medicine.
Here is a cheaper, easier way that anyone can do, in any language, and requires no technical expertise:
Step 1) STOP HAVING BABIES!
Step 2) Repeat STEP 1 until a sustainable population is reached.
It sounds harsh and mean, but the main problem is that the populations of the countries is far higher than their current situation can sustain. The fewer people you have, then the less food, water, and medicine you need to sustain them and keep them healthy.
Nobody wants to say it, and someone will inevitably mod this TROLL since they feel that feelings and emotions are more important than logic, but that is the problem: Over-population of places that CANNOT support the large and increaing number of people who depend on insufficient sources of food and water.
Unfortunately, some people don't under stand the simple concept that 3 people consume less than 5, and nobody has the balls to either tell them that, or admit to it.
Knowing Google's lust for data collection, the Soviet Union is still alive and well inside the psyche of Sergey Brin....
Yes! We need to get out of the way and let the local tinpot dictators get on with raping their own countries without outside intereference. Just ask Robert Mugabe! He'll tell you.
And yes, human misery will continue wholesale once we stop helping local tinpot dictators. Or do you really believe that the various non-functional governments in Africa will suddenly become functional if the West ignores them? HINT: We've been ignoring Zimbabwe for years, and look at the progress they've made.
Oh, and if there are any ZANU-PF types reading this, I hate to break it to you, but the West, specifically the UK and USA do NOT want to recolonialize you. We barely care enough to try to keep you from starving.
"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"